First time Finding a Roommate at UMD?

The Hunt for the Perfect Roommate

One of my first thoughts after committing to the University of Maryland was “How am I going to find a good roommate?” It’s a common fear of many new college students. Though it can be a stressful time, do not worry, there are many options for finding the perfect roommate. Another thing I did upon committing was adding myself to all the different Facebook groups for incoming freshmen. Facebook is a great way to connect with people from all over that will be going to UMD in the Fall. Joining the University of Maryland Class of 2022 allowed me to see and get to know a bunch of my peers. In these groups, people post pictures of themselves, a short description of themselves, and list some traits they are looking for in a roommate.

I would suggest is to include your Instagram or social media platform of preference. I personally do not use Facebook that often, so having the ability to connect with others on different platforms allowed them to get a better feel of me and vice versa. People will comment or message you if they think you would get along or have similar interests. In addition to making your own post, you can scroll through the many other posts to see if anyone shares your interests or you think could be a good fit for your roommate. I personally did all of the above and ended up speaking to people I am still friends with to this day! It is normal to feel shy about reaching out to others, but do not hesitate. Everyone is in the same boat, so I recommend putting yourself out there, starting a conversation, and speaking about potentially becoming roommates.

Finding one…

Another great way to find your roommate is through mutual friends. Even when I was only considering coming to the University of Maryland, my friends were dying to introduce me to their friends who have already committed. I recommend asking your friends if they know anyone who is going to UMD in the fall. They could have friends from their high schools going there, family members, or camp friends who are going to UMD or know someone who is going. The great thing about finding a roommate this way is that you know they will be a good fit. If your future roommate is friends with one of your friends, you already know you have something in common and that you mesh well with the same people. I personally felt the most comfortable meeting my roommate this way, so I went with this route. One of my camp friends introduced me to one of her camp friend’s friend and we began speaking. We got along instantly on the phone and began to talk and FaceTime all the time. We ended up meeting at a UMD meetup and decided we would be great roommates.

A good way to meet your roommate or just other people going to Maryland is to attend meetups. Oftentimes people will plan meetups, or you can plan your own, in order for you to get together and meet each other. These events can be so much fun and a great way to go into your freshman year with some friends. People plan dinners, parties, and hangouts all over the country and for anyone to come. I attended a meetup in New York the summer before going to UMD and met so many great people that have turned into my best friends. I loved going to a meetup because you really get to talk to people and find people you click with right off the bat. People will post about meetups in Facebook groups, group chats, or you can hear about them through other friends you know that are also going to UMD.

In addition, if you want to try something exciting and spontaneous, you could do a random roommate. For as many people who have horror stories of their random freshman year roommate, there are the same amount of people who turned out to have a great experience. Sometimes people create the best memories with someone they barely know. While it is a risk, it could turn out to be the best leap of faith you ever took. Besides, college is the time to try new things and step out of your comfort zone, why not start off with a random roommate?

Whatever way you choose to find a roommate, it’s important, to be honest with what you’re looking for in a roommate and see if you can come to an agreement about how you will live and respect each other. While it’s amazing to find the perfect freshman year roommate, that is not always the reality and it’s not a big deal at all! Your first year of college goes by extremely fast and you can learn from this experience. Good luck!

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